


it won’t be long (you’re coming on home)

by fangirl_squee



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, set early in WiH (pre opening the sword)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 20:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17494805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: It has been a long time since Lem left with a vague promise to be back. There have been many other willing to break Emmanuel’s heart.





	it won’t be long (you’re coming on home)

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to maddie, for betaing and for always.

 

It wasn’t as though Emmanuel was expecting Lem to be at The Last University when Throndir and Ephrim’s group arrived. But he had been hoping.

 

There was no Fero either, which was both a good and bad sign. Good, because it meant that Lem was probably still alive, somewhere. Bad, because it meant that wherever he was, he wasn’t likely to return soon.

 

And so, Emmanuel tried to help out where he could, cooking as best he could with their meagre supplies and trying not to feel too disheartened by the amount of people still left hungry once the last spoonful of whatever meal he had managed to make had been given out. He tried to focus on what he  _ could  _ do, rather than what he couldn’t, because there were so many things he couldn’t do, so many things that were out of his hands, from the dwindling food supplies to the still-cold weather.

 

Even with the sun, it  _ was _ still cold, especially at night. The University’s dormitories were nothing like his tiny flat in Rosemerrow, or even his much nicer apartments in Nacre, although he tried not to think too much about Nacre.

 

“What’s done is done,” said Emmanuel.

 

Philippe, another former Nacrite, scowled. “I don’t know how you’re so calm about it!”

 

Philippe had worked in Brandish’s crew or on the docks for most of his time in Nacre, and was used to fast action and visabile results. Emmanuel put a hand on Philippe’s arm, partly to console him and partly to stop him from making another angry circuit of the dining hall. It did people no good to see someone in his state, and anyone who tried to stop him was liable to get pushed aside.

 

Well, except for Emmanuel. Philippe seemed to have made an exception for him. Emmanuel tried not to feel too pleased about it.

 

“Perhaps it is a baker’s temperament,” said Emmanuel. “Dough must rise so it can be turned into something new. But first, you must wait.”

 

Philippe let out a long breath, the muscles in his arm stilling under Emmanuel’s hand.

 

“Maybe so,” said Philippe. “I do not know if my temperament is cut out for this life, so far from the sea.”

 

“I think you are doing just fine,” said Emmanuel, “but, perhaps, if you like, I can give you a baking lesson.”

 

Philippe’s smile was a slow, warm bloom across his face. “I would like that.”

 

It was easy to fall in love with Philippe.

 

And just as easy to fall out of love.

  
  


Fero returned, with much fanfare and excitement, not least of which was due to their food stores actually holding food.

 

“For someone who doesn’t eat, you are certainly in the kitchens a lot,” said Emmanuel.

 

Fero swung his feet back and forth where he was sitting on the counter. “It’s warm in here. And the company’s not terrible.”

 

Emmanuel’s hands paused for a moment, then continued kneading the dough. “I suppose that’s a compliment.”

 

“It is!” said Fero, “Most people here kind of suck.”

 

“I… am still not sure if it is a compliment,” said Emmanuel, amused.

 

“It- okay, I know I’m not the best at like… I mean, I’m never going to be able to write a  _ poem _ or anything, you know?” said Fero, his hands twitching through the air as he spoke, “but what I mean is- I mean, I don’t like a lot of people. But you’re okay, y’know? You don’t yell at me when I say if kind of sucks here, or tell me I should have come back sooner, or abandon me in locked rooms-”

 

Emmanuel’s eyebrows shot up. “Who-”

 

“You  _ know _ who,” said Fero, scowling. “Anyway, you don’t do any of those things. So I like hanging out in the kitchen with you.”

 

“Well,” said Emmanuel, letting out a breath. “Then. Thank you. I’m honoured.”

 

“You should be,” said Fero, keeping his face serious for half a second before dissolving into laughter.

 

Emmanuel smiled.

 

The kitchen felt a little warmer than usual today. Perhaps spring was coming at last.

 

And with the new warmth came travellers. Some stayed, grateful to find another gathering of people still alive, and others moved on, heading further into Hieron, towards The City of First Light.

 

“Our city is somewhat of a legend too you know,” said Ilias, conspiratorially.

 

Emmanuel leant in, feeling himself smile a little, buoyed by Ilias’s dark eyes on him and the honeymead he had arrived with. “Oh, really?” 

 

“Oh yes,” said Ilias, “the City of First Light they call it, a marvelous creation of the gods themselves.”

 

Emmanuel had had quite enough of gods, but he did like Ilias’s tone when he said it, the way he kept his eyes fixed on Emmanuel, the way his fleeting touch left patches of warmth on Emmanuel’s skin.

 

“You would love it,” said Ilias, taking his hand, “come with me.”

 

Emmanuel sighed. “Ilias…”

 

“Leave this dreary ruin behind and come with me to the shining city of light,” said Ilias, “surely you would not make me leave without you?”

 

“You wouldn’t be the first,” murmured Emmanuel.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing,” said Emmanuel quickly, “Ilias, I can’t I… I’m waiting for someone.”

 

Ilias’s face fell. “Oh, I-”

 

“But perhaps,” said Emmanuel, cutting Ilias (and himself) off from that melancholy thought, “We can give each other something to remember each other by.”

 

Ilias smiled, leaning close before jerking back. “The, uh… the person you’re waiting for won’t mind?”

 

Emmanuel hummed. “Perhaps. We will have much to talk about.”

 

Emmanuel leant forward, letting his hand drop from the table to Ilias’s warm thigh. Ilias’s breath hitched, and Emmanuel smiled.

 

“Perhaps we can find somewhere quiet, and you can tell me more about this shining city,” said Emmanuel.

 

“Yes,” breathed Ilias, “And I would love to hear more about yours.”

  
  


Ilias left, of course. Many did - unhappy with the state of things at the University or in an attempt to strike out on their own. Others seemed to do it out of pure foolishness.

 

“It’s not foolishness!” snapped Fero, “I just don’t want to be here!”

 

“So you're just going to leave, like he did,” said Emmanuel, kneading the dough a little harder than he probably needed to.

 

“I'm not leaving!” said Fero, throwing up his hands. “I'll be right outside! I don’t understand why this is such a big deal!”

 

“If you’re going to be so close, then why even bother moving your things,” said Emmanuel.

 

“Because every second I stay here is another second where someone tells me what I’m doing wrong,” said Fero, “and I’m sick of it. I’m so- it  _ sucks _ here, Emmanuel.”

 

Fero’s voice cracked on Emmanuel’s name, and Emmanuel looked up. Fero was gripping the edge of the counter that he was sitting on, white knuckled, his face turned away.

 

Emmanuel let out a long breath, taking a careful step towards him. Fero flinched, but he didn’t look like he was about to immediately run off, so Emmanuel took another careful step, then another, then another, until he was standing close enough that he could have touched Fero’s shoulder.

 

“I did not know,” said Emmanuel carefully, “that you were having such a bad time of it.”

 

Fero let out a shuddering breath. “Yeah, well. It didn’t seem like you were having the best time either. I didn’t want to make it worse. And also I-” he swallowed. “I didn’t want  _ you _ to yell at me too.”

 

“Fero…”

 

“Everyone else did!” said Fero, looking up at him. “So why wouldn’t you.”

 

The kitchen was quiet for a moment, the only sound Fero’s ragged breathing.

 

“Fero,” said Emmanuel softly, “It does, absolutely, suck here.”

 

Fero blinked at him, and then, slowly, a smile crept across his face, turning into a bright bark of laughter. Emmanuel smiled down at him.

 

“Finally!” said Fero, “Someone else here with sense!”

 

“I am glad you think so,” said Emmanuel. He paused. “I suppose even my good sense cannot convince you to stay?”

 

Fero made a face.

 

Emmanuel sighed. “No. I didn’t think so. You will still visit though, yes?”

 

Fero blinked up at him. “Oh, you… sure, if you want.”

 

“I would like that,” said Emmanuel, “I have come to enjoy your company while I work.” He put a flour-covered hand on Fero’s shoulder. “Be safe, Fero.”

 

Fero swallowed, moving in for a hug, lightning-fast, before he leapt down from the counter.

 

“Okay, bye! I’ll see you tomorrow, probably!”

 

Emmanuel watched the door swing close. “See you probably tomorrow.”

  
  


There were, of course, people who lived very safely outside the walls. The Moonlighters Guild, for example, operated both inside and outside the walls of the University. If you wanted something, and no merchant could find it, The Moonlighters Guild could,  _ if _ you knew who to ask.

 

Which, luckily, Emmanuel did.

 

Lonnie examined the crumpled list Emmanuel had given him. “That’s a lot of seeds. Hard to get these round here.”

 

“That is why I’m asking you.”

 

Lonnie looked from the list to Emmanuel and then back at the list. “You know, normally, you ask me for flour, spices. That’s easy stuff.”

 

“I had a change in professions.”

 

“Got sick of cooking?”

 

“More like… looking for something different,” said Emmanuel, “the weather is nicer now. It is good to be outside.”

 

Lonnie hummed. “It’s a  _ lot _ of stuff, Emmanuel. It’s probably going to cost ya.”

 

“My employer will pay, if it’s a fair price.”

 

Lonnie put a hand on his chest. “It wounds me that you think I wouldn’t be fair to you.”

 

Emmanuel laughed. “Alright, alright.” He paused, considering. “I know asking for the whole list is probably impractical. But surely you can find  _ some _ of it. Considering our history.”

 

“I wasn’t even good at history,” said Lonnie, “I was always better at stuff in the present tense.”

 

Emmanuel hummed.

 

It wasn’t so warm yet that he relished the thought of a cold bed. And Lonnie, despite his tendency to wear garish shirts, was wonderfully warm.

 

“Perhaps I could remind you,” said Emmanuel. “And then we could get back to talking about business.”

 

Lonnie folding the list carefully, putting it in his shirt pocket. “Yeah. Feels like a good time for a break.”

 

Tilling a field, really, was a lot like baking. There was a lot of patience, a lot of careful maintenance, and after a long day of it Emmanuel mostly felt it in the aching of his feet and his arms. Much like his cooking duties, he could only really take off one morning a week, and he relished every sunrise he was able to sleep through.

 

Of course, sometimes things still woke him up.

 

Halflings sneaking out of his room for example.

 

“Not going to say goodbye?” said Emmanuel, eyes still closed.

 

“Uh,” said Fero, “Listen.”

 

Emmanuel cracked one eye open, looking at Fero in the dim light. It was impossible to make out anything more than the vague shape of him in the dark.

 

“I thought we understood each other,” said Emmanuel, “no disappearing.”

 

“I was going to leave a note,” said Fero.

 

“No you weren’t,” said Emmanuel. He sighed, rolling over onto his back, not sure whether he wanted to wake himself up or go back to sleep. “If you don’t want to do this anymore you can just  _ tell _ me Fero.”

 

“It’s not that, it’s…” Fero swallowed. “We just have to stop doing this.  _ I _ have to stop doing this.” He paused. “They opened the sword yesterday. Ephrim told me.”

 

“So?”

 

“So Lem will be back soon,” said Fero.

 

Emmanuel blinked up at the cracked ceiling. “Oh.”

 

“Yeah,” said Fero. “So I’ll just-”

 

“Fero,” said Emmanuel, “come here.”

 

Fero stepped towards him, his frown of confusion easier to see now that he was closer. His shirt was half-sliding off his shoulder, his jacket clutched in his hands. Emmanuel reached out, pulling his shirt straight letting his hand linger on Fero’s shoulder.

 

Fero swallowed. “I don’t… I just thought, with Lem coming back. It’s gonna be complicated. So I thought, it’d be easier if I just…”

 

“Leaving does not make things less complicated,” said Emmanuel, “A fact which I would have thought you would be familiar with by now. And Lem King does not control who I spend my time with, especially when he is not here.” Emmanuel let his hand slide up to cup Fero’s cheek. “And he should not control yours either.”

 

He could feel Fero’s twitchy energy. Fero took a deep breath, his hands fluttering in front of him as he spoke.

 

“I just don’t… he likes you, I know he does, and even if I don’t like  _ him  _ very much, I- I don’t want to tell you what to do. Being bossed around sucks, especially when no one listens to what you want and-” he took another breath, letting it out slowly. “Anyway. I don’t want you to feel like that. I like you too much to want you to feel like that.”

 

Emmanuel’s chest felt tight. “Fero…”

 

“So I was going to give you space, you know? Space away from people is good for thinking,” said Fero, “Which, I know people think I  _ don’t _ think, but I do, it’s just easier to do it when no one’s around-”

 

“Fero,” said Emmanuel again, pulling back the covers, “come back to bed.”

 

Fero paused. “Are… you sure?”

 

“No,” said Emmanuel, “But he’s not back today, is he? So we’ve got time. And I find I think better with company.”

 

Fero pressed his lips together, then dropped his jacket. Emmanuel smiled, letting relief loosen the feeling in his chest as he moved back to give Fero room. He pulled Fero close, smiling as Fero pressed his face to Emmanuel’s chest as they settled back.

 

“Sorry,” said Fero, after a moment, “about almost disappearing.”

 

Emmanuel pressed a kiss to the top of Fero’s head. “Just remember this next time, and say a proper goodbye.”

 

He felt Fero’s body relax slowly as he drifted back into sleep, watching as the sun crept higher behind the curtains. Soon, he would have to go to the fields. Soon, Fero would have to head to the forest, to forage. Soon, Lem would return.

 

But, for now, they could rest.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi: mariusperkins on most places


End file.
